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Guide to Bologna Outdoors

I'm a passionate archaeologist from Bologna that knows very well museums, churches and the architectures of the main Italian cities. I also love spending time with my friends in restaurants, bar, nightclub or simply walking around to enjoy the beauty of Italian landscape. I usually suggest itineraries to friends who come to visit me.

Bologna is the ideal city for walking and satisfying your cultural, historic and culinary tastes. It is always a pleasure to walk under the shelter of the long porticos, but it is upon leaving those—and getting lost in the narrow medieval—that your authentic experience starts. Enjoy simply wandering without a destination, looking out for evocative glimpses, and following captivating smells as you go.

Good for

History Buff

Thrill Seeker

Shopping Fanatic

Nature Lover

Peace and Quiet Seeker

Thrifty Traveller

Like a Local

10 Places

9 City Tips

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Map

10 Places

Giardini Margherita

Other Outdoor Activities

Torri degli Asinelli e Garisenda

Points of Interest & Landmarks, Observation Decks & Towers

Santuario di Madonna di San Luca

Churches & Cathedrals

Piazza Maggiore

Points of Interest & Landmarks, Historic Sites

Certosa di Bologna

Cemeteries

Piazza Otto Agosto

Gift & Speciality Shops

Parco Storico di Monte Sole

Parks

Orto Botanico

Speciality Museums

Parco dei Gessi Bolognesi

Parks

Quadrilatero

Points of Interest & Landmarks

Giardini Margherita

Viale Gozzadini, Bologna, Italy

Torri degli Asinelli e Garisenda

Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, 40126 Bologna, Italy

Santuario di Madonna di San Luca

Via di San Luca 36, 40135 Bologna, Italy

Piazza Maggiore

Piazza Maggiore, Bologna, Italy

Certosa di Bologna

Via della Certosa 18 | Di Fronte a Viale Gandhi, 40134 Bologna, Italy

Piazza Otto Agosto

P. za Otto Agosto, 40100 Bologna, Italy

Parco Storico di Monte Sole

Via Porrettana 4, 40043 Marzabotto, Italy

Orto Botanico

Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy

Parco dei Gessi Bolognesi

Via Carlo Jussi 171, 40068 San Lazzaro di Savena, Italy

Quadrilatero

via Clavature & via Pescherie Vecchie, 40124 Bologna, Italy

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Giardini Margherita

Other Outdoor Activities

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Torri degli Asinelli e Garisenda

Points of Interest & Landmarks, Observation Decks & Towers

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Santuario di Madonna di San Luca

Churches & Cathedrals

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Piazza Maggiore

Points of Interest & Landmarks, Historic Sites

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Certosa di Bologna

Cemeteries

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Piazza Otto Agosto

Gift & Speciality Shops

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Parco Storico di Monte Sole

Parks

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Orto Botanico

Speciality Museums

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Parco dei Gessi Bolognesi

Parks

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Quadrilatero

Points of Interest & Landmarks

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laras103's City Tips

Riding your bike under the portico is forbidden—even if it can be tempting during rainy days, it is very annoying for the pedestrians.

If you cycle, always lock both wheels of your bike to an immovable object.

The city center is closed to vehicles during the weekends. Enjoy the opportunity to reach your destinations easily on foot!

If you feel like being active, I suggest renting a bike! The city is not big and is mainly flat. However, there are not many cycle lanes available, so be careful.

To get around by bus, a daily ticket (24h) or a city pass (10 rides) is more economical than a single.

Bus tickets are sold in newsagents and at ticket offices. You can buy a ticket on the bus, but it's more expensive.

Bologna has an efficient 24-hour bus service. You can plan your journey online at TPER website.

Bologna is full of delicatessens where you can buy traditional food and enjoy a tasty break.

Don't miss sampling Bolognese ice cream! There are many artisan ice cream shops around the city where you can taste one of Italy's finest ice creams.

Giardini Margherita

Other Outdoor Activities

See more photos

laras103 Says:

Located just out of town—or 'fuori porta' (outside the gateways) as a local would say—the Margherita Gardens is the biggest park in the city, extending to 26 hectares. You can jog, rollerblade, or skate along its tree-lined boulevards, or relax and picnic on its fresh grass.

Good for

Peace and Quiet Seeker

Must See

Thrifty Traveller

Hidden Gems

Like a Local

Nature Lover

Tips

I recommend walking here—it's about 15 minutes from the Piazza Maggiore. The bus is also an easy option.

In the middle of the lake, there is a club called Chalet.

In the old greenhouses, you'll find a bar that serves food among waterlilies and tomato plants.

The park is open until midnight from April to September, but closes at 6pm during winter.

These two towers are the symbol of Bologna, built in the Middle Ages by noble families seeking status. There are also other towers still intact, such as Azzoguidi o Altabella Tower, Prendiparte o Coronata Tower, Guidozagni Tower, Uguzzoni Tower and Galluzzi Tower—a visit to any of these examples of Medieval Bologna will allow you to explore other very charming and little frequented areas of the city.

Good for

Must See

History Buff

Thrifty Traveller

Like a Local

Nature Lover

Tips

You can climb the Asinelli Tower for great views of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Sanctuary of Madonna di San Luca is the first thing you will see when arriving in Bologna. Built on the Della Guardia hill, it is linked to the city center by a portico that goes from Saragozza Gateway to the Meloncello Arch (nearby the stadium), and then up to the top of the hill. This is one of the most popular Sunday walks among the locals!

Good for

Peace and Quiet Seeker

Must See

Thrifty Traveller

Hidden Gems

Like a Local

History Buff

Nature Lover

Tips

You can reach the sanctuary by car. If you drive, I recommend parking at the Meloncello Arch in order to enjoy at least the last part of the walk.

Piazza Maggiore is one of the most beautiful Italian squares, enclosed within Bologna's most famous monuments: San Petronio Basilica, Palazzo D'Accursio, Plazzo dei Notai, Palazzo dei Banchi, and the Palazzo del Podestà. The famous fountain by Giambologna sits nearby, and from this central location, you can easily reach Via del Pratello and its taverns (following Via Ugo Bassi), or take Via Rizzoli and end up under the Two Towers, where the lively university area starts.

Good for

Must See

Thrifty Traveller

Like a Local

History Buff

Art and Architecture Lover

Nature Lover

Tips

In summer, the square turns into an open-air cinema with free art-house film projections.

Follow the trail around this monument-filled cemetery to see cloisters, loggias and wonderful sculptures by Bolognese artists from the 19th and 20th centuries. Many famous people are buried here, including the painter Giorgio Morandi, Nobel Prize poet Giosuè Carducci, opera singer Farinelli, and singer-songwriter Lucio Dalla.

Good for

Peace and Quiet Seeker

History Buff

Thrifty Traveller

Art and Architecture Lover

Nature Lover

Tips

Certosa is a 45-minute walk from the city center—take a bus if time is tight.

In summer, enjoy special events here, including concerts and guided tours.

Download the English-language guide from the Certosa website in advance.

Every Friday and Saturday, 6.30am-8pm, this big local market comes to life in the Montagnola Park and Piazza VIII Agosto. With more than 400 stalls selling vintage clothing, handmade jewelry, ethnic handicrafts, shoes, and much more, La Piazzola is an excellent place to shop and a colorful and lively spot to experience.

Good for

Shopping Fanatic

Trendsetter

Like a Local

Tips

You can easily get to the market from the train station, following Via Indipendenza, then turning right into Via Irnerio.

Avoid visiting the Montagnola Park at night.

It is very hard to get a discount, so save your bargaining energy for more shopping!

In this park, which was created as a memorial to the local farmers who died during the Second World War, you will find an interesting mix of nature and history. Five themed itineraries—including nature, art, history, and religion—are available to satisfy a variety of interests, and guests can follow these as they explore. I would recommend the itinerary 'Percorso del Memoriale,' which features many villages affected by the 1944 massacre, as well as other important places from the liberation struggle.

Good for

Peace and Quiet Seeker

Thrifty Traveller

Hidden Gems

Solo

Friends

History Buff

Thrill Seeker

Senior

Nature Lover

Tips

The park is not well connected to the city by public transport—take a taxi.

Wear sporty/comfortable clothing and bring some water with you—there are no water fountains inside the park.

At the Visitor Center, you'll also find a guesthouse, a bar, and a restaurant.

Check out the Visitor Center ("Il Poggiolo") to find out about upcoming events.

Founded in 1568, the Botanic Garden of Bologna University is one of the oldest gardens in Italy. There are millions of local and exotic plants displayed in different sections here. I particularly enjoy the ones dedicated to medicinal plants, ornamental plants, and the woods. There are also three greenhouses with tropical and succulent plants to discover.

Good for

Peace and Quiet Seeker

Thrifty Traveller

Nature Lover

Tips

The botanic garden closes at 3:30pm on weekdays and at 1:00pm on Saturdays. It is closed all day on Sundays.

Check out the program on the website before going. They often organize thematic exhibitions and guided tours on Saturday mornings.

If you visit the botanic garden in summer, go also to the nearby S. Filippo Re Gardens where you can find live music and food stalls.

This park is located in the hills just outside Bologna and is famous for its chalk outcrops, karst systems, caves and the Calanchi (ravines) dell'Abbadessa. The fascinating landscape makes Parco dei Gessi Bolognesi an ideal place for passionate walkers and those who'd like to be a speleologist (cave expert) for a day!

This is the old medieval market and food shopping area, whose tiny cobblestoned streets are framed within a quadrilateral area by Piazza Maggiore, via Rizzoli, via Castiglione, and via Farini. The market has occupied the same area in the city center since Roman times and is now characterized by many food shops, delicatessens, and delis that sell local products such as tortellini, mortadella, tagliatelle, and ragù.

Good for

Foodie

Must See

Shopping Fanatic

Trendsetter

Tips

You can buy your lunch in one of the many delicatessens, and have a glass of wine at the Osteria del Sole. Book a table if you are in a large group.

Try local cured meat and cheeses with "cresentina," deep-fried bread.

This area is also well-known for its antique shops and designer clothing boutiques.